The Ecuadorian National Team is less than 100 days away from its much-anticipated debut in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Head coach Sebastián Beccacece has nearly finalized his squad, with 20 out of the 26 players set to be included in the final roster. This leaves six spots still up for grabs, a competition that is currently between 23 players. These athletes have been considered based on previous call-ups, and the final list could be subject to change, particularly if unexpected talents emerge during the upcoming friendly matches against Morocco and the Netherlands in March.
Among the 23 contenders, one notable exclusion is Ángel Mena, who announced his retirement from the national team in 2024. His last appearance in the Ecuadorian jersey was against Bolivia at the Estadio Monumental in Guayaquil during the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. This brings the current pool of players down to 22, with the names most likely to fill the remaining spots including John Mercado, Yaimar Medina, Jeremy Sarmiento, Janner Corozo, Carlos Gruezo, Denil Castillo, Darwin Guagua, Jhegson Méndez, Jhoanner Chávez, Patrik Mercado, Keny Arroyo, Cristian Ramírez, and Jeremy Arévalo.
These players have accumulated between six and 138 minutes of playtime, indicating they are among those less favored by Beccacece. In stark contrast, Willian Pacho from PSG stands out as the only player to have participated in every match, racking up a full 1,440 minutes on the field. Analyzing the performance and minutes played provides insight into the likelihood of players securing their spots; for instance, Jeremy Sarmiento and Jeremy Arévalo appear to have slim chances, as Sarmiento has not been called up since matchday 11 of the qualifiers. Meanwhile, Arévalo's contribution has been limited to just six minutes in a friendly against Canada last November. Beccacece had previously noted that the current Stuttgart forward was 'overweight', a statement that stirred controversy and reached José Alberto López, the coach of Racing de Santander, where the young striker was playing at the time.
Another player, Carlos Gruezo from Santos Laguna, also found himself sidelined from the national squad since November 2024, with his last official match being the historic 1-0 victory against Colombia, thanks to a goal by Enner Valencia at the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla. Additionally, there exists a secondary group of players who were called up but did not see any playtime. This group includes Óscar Zambrano, Jackson Porozo, Bryan Ramírez, Xavier Arreaga, Leo Realpe, Gilmar Napa, David Cabezas, Moisés Ramírez, and Cristhian Loor.
As reported by elcomercio.com.
